ruthie fierberg

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

 

Creative and collaborative editor and writer with experience in overseeing editorial functions for a variety of daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal publications with a strong digital background. Well-versed in all areas of managing the publication production process including planning content calendars; coordinating staff; building and managing network of contract writers, photographers and designers; collaborating with web designers and digital team; copy editing; page proofing; and liaising between editorial and executive team. Skilled in all facets of project management from planning through budgeting and scheduling to final execution.  Experience in digital video production, print magazines, brand partnerships, and social reporting specializing in arts coverage.

 

COMPETENCIES

 

     Planning & Sourcing Editorial Content.       Substantive & Copy Editing.      Budgeting & Timeline Planning

     Video Features & Hosting                              Features & News Writing            Panel Moderating

     Digital Analytics                                             Media Relations                           PR & Promotional Materials

     Cross-Departmental Relations                       Staff Management

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Broadway News, New York, NY

Executive editor (10/22-present)

• Supervise all editorial for broadwaynews.com across News, Views and formerly the Reviews sections

  • Added feature coverage to the site so that News is now news and features

  • Reinvented Views section as a guest essay vertical to highlight the voices of industry professionals and what issues they're working to solve; field submissions and pitch for the section and edit all essays

  • Previously revamped the Reviews section to an original, innovative format​

• Assign all news coverage as well as edit and write news stories

• Maintain content calendar of all feature coverage

• Write original features focused on the creatives of current Broadway shows and leading business professionals

• Created multiple recurring columns, including "In the producer's office" and "Little-known theater jobs"

• Launched, produced, hosted and edited multiple original podcasts podcasts: "Who Were the Comedian Harmonists?," "Broadway Press Day with Ruthie Fierberg" and "5 minutes with a Tony nominee"

• Pioneered and currently maintain long-term partnerships

  • Pekoe Group, content partnership: coordinated and edited weekly series of articles teaching Broadway basics from marketing and advertising professionals

  • Broadway Women's Alliance: cultivated and wrote monthly profile series "You Should Know Her" for the BWA and Broadway News Instagram accounts

  • Jimmy Awards, student reporter partnership: chose finalists for Student Reporters, mentored two Student Reports on site at the Jimmys, gave feedback on Student Reporter coverage, gained visibility of Broadway News through verbal mention during the Jimmys ceremony and ad placement in program

  • The Broadway League + NYC Tourism: hosted annual preview of Broadway shows for NYC Tourism to help their members make informed recommendations to potential theatergoers

• Write print features for Encore programs distributed throughout Broadway Across America markets

• Edit monthly Broadway Across American newsletter, distributed to more than 400,000 single-ticket buyers

• Hire and manage Broadway News editorial staff, including freelancers

• Set the budget for Broadway News freelance contracts; have stayed within budget for entire tenure

• Supervise social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)

• Oversee multimedia archive of photography and videography assets

• Moderate panels and post-show talkbacks 

• Initiated regular PIX11 segment "Broadway Breakdown" on New York Living and currently appear as bimonthly guest

• Launched site's inaugural editorial video (Advertisers roundtables; "How to Make a Wig")​

• Staff the Tony Awards

  • Host live red carpet special

  • Assign and supervise live coverage of winners and ceremony

  • Staff media room and cover via written articles and social media

  • Morning after appearance on PIX11's "New York Living"

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Freelance writer (11/20-10/22), New York, NY

• Started personal Medium page and wrote one of the most comprehensive articles about the Broadway industry's shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Served as regular contributor for Backstage and Dance magazines

• Created comprehensive neighborhood guides for Hello Landing

• Wrote features and profiles for Columbia University School of Public Health magazine

• Penned 40-page treatment for historical docuseries on behalf of Radical Media

• Pioneered Broadway News' inaugural feature coverage through Tony Awards spotlight series for the 2022 Tony Awards in addition to select news features

• Moderated digital panels for 92NY, the Entertainment Community Fund, the Stage Managers Symposium and Second Stage Theatre

• Created the "Dear Evan Hansen" fan newsletter with Situation 

• Tk as guest speaker and guest teacher

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Why We Theater podcast, New York, NY 

Creator, host and editor (6/20-10/22)

• Content lineup

• Research experts/topic

• Book

• Script

• Edit

• Host

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Playbill Inc., New York, NY

Executive Editor, Features and Branded Content (9/20-present)

Senior Features Editor (2/17-8/20); Playbill Travel Talent Manager (4/16-2/19); Features Editor (11/15-2/17)

 

Oversee all editorial operations for Features department for Playbill.com, coordinating production and managing a full content calendar to plan and publish 10-25 Feature stories each week. Host Facebook LIVE interviews for all of Broadway’s opening night red carpets, Tony Awards, backstage set tours, and more.

Key Accomplishments

• Hosted the only Facebook LIVE for the 2017–2019 Tony Awards Red Carpet, earning over 55,000 views and approximately 2,000 engagements each

• Led organization to completely revamp Features section in Playbill’s digital space

• Spear-headed brand-building content such as the PRIDE Roundtable and annual Tonys Roundtable

• Launched four original video series: What’s In Your Book?, Genesis of a Song, 25 Days of Tonys, and In the Studio

• Innovated new ways to cover all disciplines of theatre (i.e. creative teams, stagecraft, design)

• Instituted weekly Quiz and high-level Listicle content, yielding increase in over 100,000 pageviews

• Write and contribute daily news articles and long form Feature stories for Playbill.com, ranging from interviews to video to service guides, and write monthly Features for Playbill print magazine

• Supervise production and serve as on-camera talent for video interviews and features

• Create series and standalone Feature content across digital media to engage, excite, and educate readers

• Collaborate with writers (up to 25 staffers and freelancers) to create compelling stories, imagery, and video, including editing, copy editing, and fact-checking for Playbill.com

• Curate, headline, and program daily morning and evening newsletters to a subscribership of over 71,000

• Develop and maintain relationships with personal publicists and PR agencies to secure top talent for features

• Work in tandem with sales team to identify and close revenue-driving partnerships and content creation

• Moderate panels for branded events, including 92Y, BroadwayCon 2016–2020, AOL Build series, individual Broadway productions, and other cultural events

• Recruit, manage, and maintain personal relationships with A-list Broadway talent for Playbill Travel’s Broadway on the High Seas cruises, including onboard stage management for solo shows

• Generated and analyzed weekly traffic reports of Playbill.com Feature content

• Supervised payment of all freelance contractors

• Hosted weekly segment on Playbill’s new The Broadway Cast podcast

• Served as editorial liaison to web designers during redesign and relaunch of Playbill.com

Backstage Magazine & Playbill Magazine, New York, NY  

Freelance Reporter/Writer (3/13-11/15)

• Produce over 35 digital videos for 2014 Tony Awards based on red carpet and media room interviews

• Pitch, report, and write features and cover stories about theater news, community events, and more

• Live tweet awards shows, such as the 2014 Lucille Lortel Awards and 2014 Tony Awards

 

Meredith Parents Network, Meredith Corp., New York, NY

Editorial Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief, Parents Magazine (8/12-11/15)

Executive Assistant to the President, Meredith Parents Network (2/12-8/12)

• Scout talent, conduct expert interviews, write scripts, provide voiceovers, & produce original digital video

• Conduct celebrity interviews, featuring Hollywood A-listers, renowned athletes, etc., for fresh content

• Pitch, write, and edit short items and features for Parents, American Baby, Parents Latina, and parents.com

• Launch Parents Latina’s Facebook presence

 

Time Out New York, Time Out North America, New York, NY                        

Assistant to the Publisher/Special Projects Manager (1/11-2/12)

• Write copy for Time Out New York Kids’ and Time Out New York’s promotional contest pages

• Manage $1 million MasterCard Priceless campaign via custom branded content and event activation

• Produce Brand Solutions ancillary guides, such as the Tribeca Film Festival Guide by American Express

 

OTHER EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE

 

Columbia Daily Spectator, New York, NY

Senior Staff Writer (1/08-5/10) & Assoc. Theater Editor (12/08-1/09)

• Reported on-campus and off-campus theater events via reviews and feature stories

• Pitched, managed, edited all content for the Theater section of the daily newspaper, associated digital content, expanded weekend arts section, and The Eye weekly arts magazine

• Supervised nightly production of Arts & Entertainment section and wrote section’s display copy

 

Inside New York 2010, New York, NY                                                                         

Staff Writer (5/09- 9/09)

• Wrote Neighborhood Portrait features for published guide book, plus 3-5 venue reviews per week

 

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

 

Computer Skills: Social Media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat) Google Analytics, SEO, Content Management Systems, Adobe InCopy and InDesign, iMovie, Microsoft Office.

Languages: Fluent in Spanish, Basic Italian, Basic Hebrew

Voting member of the Drama Desk since 2019

 

EDUCATION

 

Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, May 2010 - Graduated Cum Laude (GPA 3.7/4.0); Dean’s List 2006-2010